


Out of Time

by gentledusk



Category: F-Zero (Video Games), F-Zero GP Legend, F-Zero: Falcon Densetsu
Genre: Friendship, Multi, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 12:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12705300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gentledusk/pseuds/gentledusk
Summary: Ryu is already 150 years out of time. What's 6 more?(Post-series Falcon!Ryu gets dumped back to the beginning. The Platoon reacts to the familiar stranger in their midst.)





	Out of Time

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea if this will have a coherent or even linear plot, or just be random snapshots of shenanigans with two Ryus, but here you go.

Despite all the advances in technology they've made in the past few decades, it's not every day you get a portal opening right in the middle of a Galaxy Mobile Platoon meeting. And it's certainly not every day that a person comes tumbling out of that portal.

“Captain Falcon?!” shouts Ryu, because that's who it appears to be.

Jody and Dr. Stewart, who’d drawn their guns the instant they’d sensed the disturbance, lower them now, but don't put them away completely. There's no doubt that Captain Falcon is working against Dark Million, but can they be sure this is the real him and not some kind of trap?

Captain Falcon, lying in an ungraceful heap on the floor, starts when he hears Ryu speak, wincing as he shoves himself up into a standing position. He stares at each of them in turn, looking rather bewildered, gaze finally settling squarely on Ryu.

“What?” says Ryu, taking a step forward.

Captain Falcon shakes his head and smiles. “Nothing, it's just--you’re so young.”

Ryu, predictably, bristles, but Dr. Stewart steps in before he can even open his mouth.

“You’re not Captain Falcon,” he says. The others tense, Jody gripping her gun tighter, but the Doctor doesn't seem hostile, just...confused. “Your voice, it’s--”

Their mysterious visitor’s shoulders slump before he squares them decisively, staring evenly at Stewart as he says, “‘Only the one who surpasses the Falcon can become the Falcon.’ Back where...no, when I came from, I am Falcon.”

“When?” Lucy echoes. “What do you mean, ‘when’?”

The visitor gives them a wry grin. Slowly, he reaches up and lifts the helmet right off his head. Loud gasps echo around him as he tucks it under his arm, and when he looks up again all eyes are glued to his face.

“Ryu?!”

It certainly looks like him, only...older. His hair’s a little longer, flattened by his helmet, and he seems to have gained a bit more muscle. His voice is a little deeper as well. But the biggest change--the thing that all of them pick up on as their eyes flick back and forth between their Ryu and this stranger--is the quiet strength and confidence with which he carries himself, even without the helmet on.

“Hey, gang,” he says. Now that his eyes are uncovered, the fondness filling them as he looks around at them is unmistakeable. “You’re looking well.”

“Are you really Ryu?” demands Jack, squinting at him. “How do we know you're not some fake?”

Instead of snapping back at him like their Ryu would, the stranger only laughs and runs a gloved hand through his hair. “Good point, Jack,” he says, which isn't really helping his assertion of his identity. In what world does _Ryu_ agree with _Jack_?

“Can you prove it?” Jody presses, eyes not leaving the stranger for a second. Her gun remains trained on him, tracking his every move.

The stranger’s brow creases in thought. “Hmm, well...I could tell you a bunch of secrets I know from the future, but then you'll probably just think I’m a spy. I could pilot the Dragon Bird, but it isn't a great idea to let strangers in your car, so that's out--”

“Damn right it is,” Ryu mutters, giving him a sour look. “You’re not me!”

The stranger laughs again. “Don’t worry, I’m not after the Dragon Bird. It's not even my vehicle anymore, in my time.”

Ryu looks horrified, though whether it’s at the prospect of someone not wanting the Dragon Bird or at the idea of himself giving it away is anyone’s guess.

“What is your vehicle, then?” asks Clash.

The stranger gives him an odd look. "The Blue Falcon, of course. Lucky number 7. A revamped version, since the original was--” But suddenly, his jaw snaps shut, eyes shuttering as he down at the helmet held in his arm.

“Was?” Jody prompts, but the stranger merely shakes his head.

“I’m sorry, Commander,” he says with a bitter smile, “but I’d rather not talk about that. I can tell you that your favourite flower is the red salvia, that Jack likes his coffee black, and that the Doctor wears his scarf for a close friend. I can tell you that Lucy recently joined as Clash’s apprentice, that EAD’s got super jump powers, and that I--I mean, uh, he,” he says, pointing at Ryu, “had a dog named Axel when he was growing up on the farm.”

“A farm? Really?” says Jack. Ryu gives him the stink eye, but he ignores it. “But this doesn't prove anything! You could just be some really creepy stalker!”

“You’re right,” the stranger mutters (agreeing with Jack again). “Man, I really feel like Black Shadow right now…”

In an instant, all senses are trained on him, every eye, ear, and gun in the room zeroing in on their unexpected “guest”.

“Woah, woah,” he says, holding one hand up, the other still being occupied with his helmet.

“Black Shadow?” Jody demands, fixing him with a chilling glare. “Are you part of Dark Million?”

“Um, no,” the stranger says, “They messed up my life pretty bad, and also the lives of people I care about. No way I’d ever join them! You might wanna take good care of your Reactor Mights, by the way,” he says, turning to look directly at Dr. Stewart. “If Black Shadow gets his hands on all of them, he’ll have enough energy to power his Dark Reactor and destroy the entire galaxy. Universe? Who does that, anyway? That guy is weird, man, I’m telling you.”

Their eyes flick back and forth between the indignant stranger and Stewart, who looks like he’s been hit over the head with a pole.

“And that’s not even the weirdest thing he’s done!” the stranger continues, heedless of their lack of response. “First of all, he strung me up on this glowing web thing. Then he made this creepy face and started going on about how if my power, body, and Reactor Might were all his, then it’d be great. And then he shoved me in a tank and tried to wipe all my memories!”

Even EAD looks mildly disturbed by this revelation, but the stranger’s not done yet.

“And! Not only did he create Zoda just to deal with me--”

“What?!” shouts Ryu.

“--he also said that he’d been _watching me on my first date_ ,” the stranger hisses. “Just how old is this guy, anyway?”

“What?!” shouts Ryu, again.

“How did you know about the Reactor Mights?” asks Stewart.

“Dark Reactor?” Jody presses.

Just outside the room, Director Tanaka very firmly decides that this is Not His Problem as he walks (not runs!) briskly in the opposite direction.

He just hopes that the Chief won’t find out.

 


End file.
